Homage to Pasta Martelli

The website header today is a little homage to the vintage packaging on my favorite Pasta Martelli from Tuscany. While my heart belongs with the meatballs in a slow simmering ragu from Naples, I really learned to cook well in Florence and with the flavors of the Tuscan countryside.

What makes Pasta Martelli so superior is that their unique drying process makes the pasta more pourous. So when you toss it in the sauce, it absorbs all that tomatoey, garlicky, anchovy-ee (I'm grasping) deliciousness.

Never let your pasta cook completely in boiling water. When it gets to that pre-al dente denseness, the moment where your teeth slide through but it doesn't taste totally cooked, grab your tongs or slotted spoon and transfer the pasta to the sauce. In those last two or three minutes, the sauce invades the hot open pores of the pasta filling it with flavor. These are the little details that make people moan inappropriately when they bite into your food. It can make them believe you have some preternatural aptitude for cooking. Smile, and accept the praise.